Federalism: Evolution of Federal-State Relations 🇺🇸

The Constitutional Order - Federalism

• Definition: Distribution of power and authority on a geographical basis
• Purpose: A system of checks and balances to prevent tyranny

Dual Federalism (1789–1933)

• "Layer Cake Federalism" 🍰
• Federal role limited to "enumerated" powers

Cooperative Federalism (1933–1964)

• "Marble Cake Federalism" 🍰
• Federal and state governments collaborate

Creative Federalism (1964–1980)

• "Picket Fence Federalism" 🏡
• Federal government interacts directly with local governments

New Federalism (1980–2012)

• "Pineapple Upside Down Cake Federalism" 🍍
• Increased discretion for state and local governments

Fragmented Federalism (2012–Present)

• Federal government pursues state-specific policies
• Increased state autonomy
• Increased collaboration and collaborative governance

Case Study: COVID-19 and Fragmented Federalism

• Initial response lacked unified approach
• Inconsistent messaging and testing issues
• Varied state approaches to containment

Vaccine Development vs. Distribution

• Operation Warp Speed (federal)
• State-level distribution responsibilities
• County-level operational tasks

Key Takeaways: Impact of Fragmented Federalism

• Inconsistent policies across states
• Uneven resource distribution
• Varied public health outcomes

Growth in Government

Shifting Gears: Government Growth

Having explored federalism, we'll now examine how these complex intergovernmental relationships have contributed to the growth of government over time.

Growth of Government 📈

Key Points

• Government today is larger and more impactful
• Increase in departments, agencies, and employees
• Shift from a free-market to a regulated economy
• Citizen demands for government action continue to rise

Historical Context 🕰️

• Growth since the nation's founding, driven by:
  • Industrialization
  • Social welfare needs
  • Global responsibilities
• Major expansions: New Deal, Great Society, Post-9/11 security state

Federal and State Employees Over the Past 50 Years

An analysis of the workforce size in federal and state governments over the last five decades.

Key Statistics:

Modern Examples of Government Growth

• Cybersecurity: Creation of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in 2018
• Space Exploration: Establishment of the U.S. Space Force in 2019
• Pandemic Response: Expansion of CDC's role and creation of new task forces during COVID-19
• Climate Change: New offices and initiatives across multiple agencies to address environmental concerns

Government Growth and Policy Capacity

From Growth to Capacity

From Growth to Capacity

As we've seen government grow, it's crucial to consider how this growth affects the government's ability to make and implement policy effectively.

Government Institutions and Policy Capacity 🏛️

Policy Capacity

• Definition: The government's ability to identify, assess, and respond to public problems
• Influenced by institutional structure, resources, and expertise

Structure and Challenges

• Checks and balances
• Fragmentation of power
• Vertical and horizontal separation of powers
• Stalemate during divided government
• Increased polarization and difficulty in finding common ground
• Information asymmetry between branches and levels of government

State Variation in Policy Capacity 🏴

Decentralization

• Varies by state due to:
  • Size and population
  • Economic resources
  • Political culture

Implications

• Effectiveness: ability to achieve policy goals
• Efficiency: optimal use of resources
• Equity: fair distribution of benefits and burdens

Challenges

• States' policy performance varies, influenced by:
  • Financial resources
  • Technical expertise
  • Local political pressures
  • Interest group influence